The Whole Marriage and Kids Thing
by FoolsRushIn
Summary: Barney and Robin talk after they get home from his mom's. Set after 4x15, The Stinsons.


_This was just a little oneshot that I thought up while I was watching The Stinsons earlier today. Let me know what you think. I hope you like it!_

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><p>"Do you ever think about it?" Robin asks. They're sitting on the front steps to her apartment. Ted is upstairs with "Betty", or Margaret, and Barney is keeping Robin company out here until Ted allows them back in the apartment. He looks over at her, but she's staring out at the street.<p>

"You mean the whole marriage and kids thing?" He thinks that's what she means, he's not really sure what else she could mean. She nods, finally meeting his gaze. He wants to tell her that he does think about it, but only when she's the wife and the mother of his kids. He could never do it with anyone else and he never thought about it in a real sense until he fell in love with Robin. "Sometimes," he finally decides on the answer. "What about you?" She shrugs.

"Once in awhile, but then I remember my childhood." She sighs, her nose scrunching up. "I could never let myself screw up my kids like my parents screwed me up. Plus, I can't decide which part scares me more or which job I'd be worse at."

"Well, I think you'd be a good mom." Robin laughs loudly and shakes her head.

"Barney, I can barely hold a baby. I'd be a terrible mother." She stretches and shifts closer to him. He freezes when her leg presses against his. "Although, you'd be a pretty great dad; I've seen you with your nephew. You're a natural."

"Yeah," he nods. "But I think it's a lot different when it's your kid. I only have a couple hours a week to influence Eli." They're both quiet for what seems like forever until Robin speaks again.

"I wish I wanted what everyone else wanted." She says quietly.

"Why?" He asks, not condescendingly, he's just curious. In all the years since Shannon he's always been pretty satisfied with his lifestyle. With the exception of lately when all he wanted was to be with Robin.

"It would make everything easier. Get married, pop out a couple of kids, move to the suburbs. I easily could've done it with Ted, if I wanted it and it sucks." Barney feels his chest tighten at the mention of Ted. He hates that Ted was Robin's one great love and he is always there. Kind of like a constant reminder of what Barney has to live up to. Robin continues, oblivious to Barney. "And I'm afraid Marshall's right. What if I am one of those people who ends up alone with an apartment full of dogs?" He couldn't help it, he laughs. Robin glares at him and he quickly sobers up.

"Robin, that's ridiculous. If a guy doesn't appreciate you the way you are, then they're probably not worth it."

"That's the problem, Barney." She sighs and runs a hand through her hair. "No man is going to appreciate me the way I am. As Marshall has kindly pointed out several times this year, I'm a slutty robot who has no feelings. I'm afraid of commitment, I don't want kids, my career comes before everything else, it takes me the better part of a year to tell a man I love him. No one wants that." She mutters glaring at the ground. He shakes his head and turns toward her, their knees knocking together.

"Robin, you're so much more than that and someone will appreciate you that way." He bites his lip trying to decide if he should tell her he appreciates her that way. She looks over at him and he thinks maybe he should. Then, he hears his mom's voice in the back of his head; _"do me a favor: if you ever meet someone special, don't run away from it; take a shot at it." _Take a shot it. Okay, it was time and he was going to do this. "I appreciate you the way you are." He says softly and she freezes next to him.

"What?"

"I love everything about you," he starts gaining momentum. "I love that you smoke cigars and you can handle your scotch. I love how you pretend to like laser tag, for my sake." She opens her mouth, probably to reject that statement but he keeps going. "I love that half-snort, half-laugh thing you do when I'm being stupid and I love that you laugh at my jokes, even when no one else thinks I'm funny. You don't want kids, you're afraid of commitment, and you're career orientated, which is okay because I am too." He pauses trying to formulate his next thought. "What I'm trying to say is don't settle for a guy who isn't everything you want or doesn't appreciate you the way he should, because I do. And there will be others who do too. You're perfect, okay? Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise." He takes a deep breath at the end of his speech and barely has time to take a good breath before Robin's lips are on his. It takes him a second to react, but when he does he's pulling her closer, his hands in her hair. Robin pulls away and they're both breathing heavily.

"Okay, okay, okay," she stutters. He wants to ask what that meant, but she seems to be collecting her thoughts. "I," she pauses flashing him a smile. "I kind of, may have had some kind of feelings regarding you lately." His mind goes blank, Robin has feelings too? Feelings for him. She likes him. He honestly never thought this would happen. "And you were trying to be nice and now I've freaked you out and I'm just going to go." She says quickly standing up and walking into the apartment.

"Robin! Robin, wait!" He yells grabbing her arm and spinning her around. "I may have had some thoughts of the feelings variety towards you lately too." She stops and looks up at him with a smile in her eyes.

"Do you really think I'm perfect?" She sniffs and he nods. "For what it's worth," she pauses and he can tell she's unsure about what she's going to say next. "If I ever did the whole marriage and kids thing, I'd want it to be with you." She confesses quietly.

"Me too," he admits and she pulls him into an earth-shattering kiss. He really loves this woman.


End file.
